I Swear This Time I Mean It
by AnInsideJoke
Summary: 'Taking her hand, he looked deeply into her eyes and made a promise to her. "I'll never let them hurt you again. I'm not leaving this time." ' Ron and Hermione at Shell Cottage. Songfic to 'I Swear This Time I Mean It' by Mayday Parade. Reviews please :


**Hello readers :] I think it's safe to say that we've all been in a very potter mood, what with part 1 coming out. I FINALLY got to see it yesterday with a big group of friends, and I was not disappointed by the number of Ron/Hermione moments! I counted like 10. This movie was great, I'd be hapy to discuss it with anyone who's interested. Anyway, aside from Harry Potter and Shipping Ron/Hermione, I've been in love with this song ( I swear this time I mean it, by Mayday Parade). The other day I realized that the two kind of fit together, so I wrote this. It's my first piece of writing since seeing the movie. Hope you enjoy, Review if you'd like!**

**Oh, and I will be continuing my other story _'The Story Left Untold is Better Than You Know'_ with new inspiration from the movie. I just put this separately because it was a songfic, unlike the chapters in my other story. **

_Oh Tinworth, please be still tonight__  
__Don't disturb this love of mine__  
__Look how she's so serene__  
__You've gotta help me out_

He sat at her bedside, watching her face, which was relaxed for the first time today. Of course, this relaxation only came with sleep. He held her hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb. His mind was reeling with 'What if's' and it was making him dizzy.

What if he hadn't ever left her?

What if he hadn't entered the room quickly enough?

**What if he lost her?**

Lost in his own thoughts, a few of his pained tears fell freely onto their joined hands.

_And count the stars to form in lines__  
__And find the words we'll sing in time__  
__I want to keep her dreaming__  
__It's my one wish, I won't forget this__  
_

Her head turned slightly as she slept, but her face remained the same. The peaceful expression could make one believe she was…

But Ron refused to think of that now. He pushed the 'what ifs' out of him mind. Now he needed to focus on making her better. He needed to take the hurt away. Although the memories and scars from the night would last forever, he desperately wanted to make them fade from her mind. Clumsily wiping the tears off of his face, he focused on her and her alone.

_I'm outdated, overrated__  
__Morning seems so far away__  
_

As her face changed and began to look more worried, as if having a nightmare, He started humming to her. A familiar tune, one he had heard on the radio the last time he stayed here. He was rubbish at singing, he didn't want to make her ears hurt to, so he simply hummed quietly, hoping that it could reach her and calm her.

_So I'll sing a melody__  
__And hope to God she's listening__  
__Sleeping softly while I sing__  
__And I'll be your memories__  
__Your lullaby for all the times__  
__Hoping that my voice could get it right_

The moonlight glistened against her pale face as it turned back into her previous serene expression. He allowed a small smile to grace his face, hoping that he had helped keep her nightmares at bay. He was glad that he had found some way of helping her through this.

_If luck is on my side tonight__  
__My clumsy tongue will make it right__  
__And wrists that touch__  
__It isn't much, but it's enough__  
__To form imaginary lines__  
__Forget your scars, we'll forget mine…_

Before, a few hours after they had arrived, he heard her crying quietly to herself as he walked past her room. She was gazing grudgingly at her arm. Curious, he knocked on her door. She jumped slightly and began furiously wiping at her eyes. He mentally shook his head at her stubbornness; why did she always try to be brave when there were people around who could help her? She attempted a smile, but it faltered not a second after it appeared. He walked closer as she tried to discreetly cover her arm. Noticing, he snatched her arm away, firmly, but trying to be as gentle as possible. She bowed her head, not wanting to see his reaction. He gazed at it, his mouth opening slightly. There, engraved on her skin, was the word he hated more than anything, the word that he knew hurt her: '_Mudblood'._

"It won't come off", she stated quietly, her voice scratchy from lack of use.

All he could do was shake his head. Hoping he wouldn't stay something stupid like he often did, he spoke.

"Don't believe this for a second." He glanced at the mark as he cradled her wrist in his hand and sat on the edge of her bed, his gaze then moving to her tear-filled eyes. His own icy blue orbs melted at the sight of her. He hated Bellatrix for doing this to her. He vowed that he would get revenge if it was the last thing he did. "You're amazing, you know that?" She began to shake her head, but he continued. "Truly brilliant. Obviously, I've known that you're a genius since first year, but for you to be able to make up a story while she was…" He stopped for a second, not wanting to say the word. It was as if saying it out loud would make it all real, and neither of them wanted that; they wanted nothing more than to wake up from this nightmare. "I wouldn't be strong enough to do that. You're always so brave for us. I guess at first when I meet you, I wondered why you weren't a Ravenclaw, being Bloody Brilliant and all, but When I got to know you, I understood; you had the Gryffindor courage. And you're loyal…You've always been there for Harry and I...But I haven't done the same for you" His gaze moved down, ashamed of himself as her swallowed a painful lump in his throat as he continued."I left you…and I know no matter how many times I apologize, I can't take that back.

"Ron, we've already forgiven you for that-"

"But you don't trust me anymore", He interrupted quickly. "You don't look at me like you used to. It's like…you're afraid to talk to me now. I've lost your respect."

She sighed, trying to find the words to say. "I'll admit I didn't want to trust you again after you came back…I was too scared that you would leave again. But you've more than made up for what you did, Ron. I heard you when you came into the room back there. You stopped her. If it weren't for you, she would have killed-"

"Don't say it. I don't want to think about that", she quickly interrupted his head snapping up as his voice trembled at the thought.

"Well, I will say that you saved my life. I can't exactly stay mad at you after that, can I?" A small smile formed on her face as she looked at him. Gazing at her, he realized that her eyes held the warmth that he had been dying to see since he returned. He couldn't help the wide grin that spread on his face. He was overcome with joy in that moment, not just because of her forgiveness, but because he finally saw her smile again. It had been to long since he had seen that beautiful sight.

Taking her hand, he looked deeply into her eyes and made a promise to her. "I'll never let them hurt you again. I'm not leaving this time."

She smiled wider at this, breathed out a thank you, then, moving as quickly as her sore body would allow, she leaned over and wrapped her arms around him. She let her aching frame be soothed by his warmth, his rhythmic breathing steadying her own.

_The hours change so fast__  
__Oh God, please make this last_

He smiled against her hair as he held her, glad to be giving her some sort of comfort. He thought about how well they fit together. Mentally, he cursed himself for thinking about things like this given all that had happened that day, but his thoughts and senses were intoxicated by the smell of her. He held her as gently as possible, but with much more confidence than he had when she hugged him after he and Tonks finally arrived at the Burrow.

After they reluctantly broke apart, he told her to get some rest, taking her hand again. She wondered why he hadn't left, but then remembered his promise. He meant it; He really wasn't leaving her side. Even though he had left before, by the tenderness in his actions, she knew he wouldn't let her down this time. She had obliged, closing her eyes and gladly welcoming sleep.

_'Cause I'm outdated, overrated__  
__Morning seems so far away_

He continued to hum gently to her and he guarded her sleeping figure, smiling slightly. It felt odd, watching someone while they sleep, but at the same time it gave him some sort of comfort, knowing that he could protect her while she was vulnerable. He didn't care if he needed sleep: he vowed that this time, he would protect her no matter what.

_So I'll sing a melody__  
__And hope to God she's listening__  
__Sleeping softly while I sing__  
__And I'll be your memories__  
__Your lullaby for all the times__  
__Hoping that my voice could get it right__  
__Could get it right,__  
__Could get it right_

_You could crush me__  
__Please don't crush me_

In the quiet of the night, Ron's only company, other than the sleeping girl before him, was his thoughts. This journey that the trio had been on would give them all memories that would leave them scars. One cursed memory he had pushed to the back of his mind was the night that he had destroyed the locket. Although he heard Harry willing him to attack the Horcrux, trying to convince him that the cursed object was lying, He couldn't help but believe what it said. What if she really did prefer Harry to him? Seeing the Riddle versions of the two of them kissing was torture enough, if it was actually them, he would lose it for sure… But that wouldn't happen. Harry and Hermione had assured him that there was nothing going on between the two of them. They wouldn't lie to him, not after all this time.

_'Cause baby I'm a dreamer for sure__  
__And I won't let you down__  
__I swear this time I mean it__  
_

While she was drifting off that night, his vow to her rang in her head. Ron had made it more than obvious that he cared about her when he came back. I mean, telling a girl that she was the light in your heart that lead you back to where you're supposed to be isn't exactly what you would say to someone who was 'just a friend'. At least, Hermione hoped it wasn't. She tried to convince herself not to think of such things right now, but in this situation, she needed to hold onto the little hope she had.

_And I'll sing a melody__  
__And hope to God she's listening__  
__Sleeping softly while I sing__  
__And I'll be your memories__  
__Your lullaby for all the times__  
__Hoping that my voice could get it right._

So despite the horrendous events that had occurred just hours before, the two were at peace in each other's company. She slept soundly, her mind at ease as she was given a sense of security with the promise that he wouldn't leave her, and he was calmed knowing that she was alive and safe here. With each other's company, they made it through all that had happened, and it would be together that they would succeed in the challenges that awaited them tomorrow.

But those challenges seemed far away. In this moment, he had her and she had him, and to them, that was all that mattered.


End file.
